You Asked Us

Is it important to be able to
program a ball machine for a variety of shots?

Absolutely, hitting the same
stroke over and over is great for muscle memory and getting the mechanics of
the swing perfected. Once you’ve got that
down you want to be able to hit those strokes from a variety of locations on
the court, from both your forehand and backhand and both sides of the volley.
Now imagine being able to simulate the spins that you may encounter during the
game along with overhead lobs and whatever else gets thrown at you. That is the
real value of a programmable, state of the art tennis ball machine.

There is a variety of price
ranges for the tennis ball machines on the market these days. Aren’t they all the same?

Did you ever want to own a
Ferrari but had to settle for a Honda? I
think we’ve all been there. They both
have all the same basic features and can dependably get you to your destination
but the ride in the Ferrari will be different, much different.
And by the way there’s nothing
wrong with a Honda but sometimes you can just do better. Features and dependability are what separate
most of the ball machines on the market today. Sometimes what appears to be the best deal, in
the long run is not. So look for a
machine that’s has been on the market for a long time, has excellent reviews
and excellent warranty options.

People who play every shot
back as a Moonball are frustrating to play with. You can’t really generate a
lot of pace off their shots and it throws your timing off. Are ball machines able to simulate this type
of player?

The Lobster Phenom series of
ball machines can send Moonballs back to you. These are high arching balls that
drop into the court and then can bounce very high. Practicing the return of these shots is
excellent for perfecting your timing and moving your weight forward into the
shot as you hit the ball.

What is better taking a
lesson with a live tennis pro at the club or booking the ball machine?

Tennis ball machines are not
trying to replace tennis-teaching professionals. Go with the tennis instructor whenever
possible. The machine is simply a tool
that you can use independently or in combination with a coach. Many instructors however will recommend you
spend time on the machine to really hone your strokes. The consistent repetition of shots that a ball
machine provides is something even the best teachers can’t always
duplicate.

How have the drills used by
the Lobster series of ball machines been designed?

The variety of drills used
with the Lobster series of ball machines and especially the Phenom are the
result of research on the specific types of shot sequences that are used in
advanced tennis. The tennis advisors used by Lobster to create the Phenom
programming are very skilled players and spend countless hours perfecting all
the drills.

Can hitting with a tennis
ball machine provide enough programming variety to get really fit?

Top tennis players are
incredibly fit from countless hours of running around the court. Many also do weight training and distance
running. A fit player needs to recover
quickly between shots and also has to have the stamina to last for 1-2 hours at
a time.
Creating movement patterns on
the court with the programmable Phenom will allow you to quickly change
directions, go wide for shots and come to the net. All theses plus the variations on the feed
rate will get your heart rate up into your training zone. The programmable features of the Phenom can
have you hitting multiple shots to your weaker side or footwork drills
alternating to both sides. You will
never run out of options. Below are just
some of the patterns that can be programmed into the Lobster Phenom.

Value entered for e-mail is invalidEmail can not be blankAccount with that email address does not exist at this portal. Please try again.Account with that email address does not exist. Please try again.Service temporary unavailable.